Millions vote in general election

After six weeks of campaigning and debate, Britons yesterday cast their ballot at about 50,000 polling stations in the United Kingdom (UK).

Polls were expected to close at 22:00 BST(10pm Nigerian time) with results from the first constituencies expected before midnight and the final result due by noon today.

More than 9,000 council seats are being contested across 279 English local authorities in the general election.

Mayors were to be elected in Bedford, Copeland, Leicester, Mansfield, Middlesbrough and Torbay.

United Party Independent Party (UKIP) Leader Nigel Farage, Labour leader Ed Miliband, Greens leader Natalie Bennett, Scottish National Party (SNP) Leader Nicola Sturgeon, Conservative leader David Cameron, Liberal Democrat (LD) leader Nick Clegg and Plaid Cymru’s Leanne Wood all cast their votes yesterday.

In Northern Ireland, Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Leader Peter Robinson and Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness in Northern Ireland have voted, as have Social Democratic & Labour Party (SDLP) Leader Alasdair McDonnell, Alliance Party (AP) Leader David Ford and Ulster Unionist Leader Mike Nesbitt.

A total of 650 Westminster Members of Parliament (MPs) would be elected by about 50 million registered voters.

The weather was dry and mild across much of the UK, with isolated showers in some parts of north of England.

The local votes taking place meant that nearly every voter in England – excluding London where there were no local elections – would have been given at least two ballot papers when they entered polling stations.

Some votes had been cast before Thursday through postal voting, which accounted for 15 per cent of the total electorate at the 2010 general election, when the overall turnout was 65 per cent.

For the first time, people have been able to register to vote online.